Geranium plant named ‘Pacabel’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Pacabel’, characterized by its upright and uniformly rounded plant habit; freely branching habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves with a zonation pattern; early and freely flowering habit; and semi-double dark red-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PACABEL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of ZonalGeranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Pacabel’.

The new Zonal Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new uniform and early flowering ZonalGeranium plants with attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Zonal Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2004 of twounnamed proprietary selections of Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented.The new Zonal Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventoras a flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany duringthe spring of 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Zonal Geranium plant by vegetativeterminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany sinceJanuary, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new ZonalGeranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotypemay vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Pacabel’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Pacabel’ as a new and distinct Zonal Geraniumplant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly rounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   4. Dark green-colored leaves with a zonation pattern.    -   5. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   6. Semi-double dark red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of theparent selections in plant vigor and flower color.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of thePelargonium×hortorum ‘Pacvimp’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,928.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of thenew Zonal Geranium differed from plants of ‘Pacvimp’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were larger than plants of        ‘Pacvimp’.    -   2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had thicker lateral branches        than plants of ‘Pacvimp’.    -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium were darker in        color and had a more intense zonation pattern than leaves of        plants of ‘Pacvimp’.    -   4. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had larger umbels than        plants of ‘Pacvimp’.    -   5. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had darker red-colored        flowers than plants of ‘Pacvimp’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Zonal Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Zonal Geranium plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Pacabel’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the winter and spring in 13-cmcontainers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and underconditions which closely approximate commercial Zonal Geraniumproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levelsranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were three months old whenthe photograph was taken, and plants were four months old when thedescription was taken. In the detailed description, color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum ‘Pacabel’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 days            at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 30 days            at temperatures of 18° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant/growth habit.—Upright and uniformly rounded plant            habit; densely foliated; moderately vigorous growth habit;            freely basal branching habit with about eight lateral            branches developing per plant.        -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 30 cm.        -   Plant height, to top of leaves.—About 25 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 40 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.            Internode length: About 1 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color:            Close to 146A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate and opposite; simple.        -   Length.—About 4 cm.        -   Width.—About 7 cm.        -   Shape.—Reniform, rounded.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Margin.—Bicrenate.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Fine pubescence;            felt-like.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 137A; venation, close to 137A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,            close to 146C.        -   Zonation pattern.—Intensity: Strong. Location of zone: About            5 mm from the margin. Width: About 1.5 cm. Color: Closest to            200A.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Darker than 147A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single semi-double flowers arranged in            rounded hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils;            umbels displayed above the foliar plane on strong peduncles;            flowers flat to slightly cupped and face upright to outward            depending on the position in the umbel.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about ten            umbels develop per plant; each umbel with about 18 flower            buds and open flowers.        -   Flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 80 days after            planting; in the greenhouse, plants flower year-round; in            the garden in Germany, flowering is continuous from April            until frost in the autumn.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about six to ten            days on the plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Umbel height.—About 6 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 10 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Roughly elliptic. Color: Close to 166A.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Six per flower arranged in            a single whorl; petals imbricate. Length, upper and lower            petals: About 2.5 cm. Width, upper and lower petals: About            2.2 cm. Shape: Roughly obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 45B; towards the base, close            to 155A; venation, close to 45A; color becoming closer to            44A with development. When opening and fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 43A; towards the base, close to 155D;            venation, close to 45A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five per flower arranged            in a single whorl. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 2 mm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:            Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 166A.        -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter: About            3 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Mostly erect or outwardly            slanted. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 166A.        -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2.5 cm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong; flexible. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: Close to 166A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity of stamens: About            ten per flower. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape:            Tubular. Anther color: Close to 169A. Pollen amount: Scarce.            Pollen color: Close to 169A. Gynoecium: Quantity of pistils:            One per flower. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma shape:            Five-parted. Stigma color: Close to 58A. Style length: About            3 mm. Style color: Close to 58A. Ovary color: Close to 177A.            Seeds: Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape:            Elliptic. Color: Close to 165A.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Zonal    Geraniums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been    observed to tolerate rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about    1° C. to about 35° C. to 40° C. and have demonstrated good garden    performance.

1. A new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Pacabel’ asillustrated and described.